Category: musical selections

It’s that time of year again. Seems like yesterday 2017 began and now it’s over. So that means I’m going to share my favorite 30 albums of the year. I’m not going to call them the “best” but these 30 albums were on rotation for a period of time this year on my ipod. I enjoyed them all. They helped me stay sane, awake, and got me through the day when I felt like the world was just setting up shop on my shoulders, never to leave. There was a lot of fluff this year though. I will not share that with you. Some music left me scratching my head and thinking, “Really? People LIKE this?” But that’s for another discussion. If you follow me on twitter, you might have seen random one liner tweets about bands or singers that caught my ear and held onto my attention. If you haven’t listened to anyone on this list, and you want to broaden your mind, check them out. Don’t close off your mind to new music. There are plenty of diamonds in the rough. I would also be remised if I didn’t give a huge shout out to all the ladies who made some great music this year. I truly got a kick out of going back and seeing how many albums on my hard drive and ipod I had that were made by ladies, young and old. To quote Annie Lennox, “Sisters are doing it for themselves.” Whether the songs were about love, or injustice, or family issues, the voices of women made a huge impact this year. And I hope for years to come. So, here is the list. Happy New Year One and All..

For two reasons: I love the drum track behind it, and the carefree dancing. I also will throw in a special honorary mention of seeing Julian Casablancas from The Strokes eating in a diner. I had to do a double take.

I’ve always said that real soul music – the kind that makes you feel alive deep down in your boots – seems to be missing in today’s realm of music. There just doesn’t seem to be anything out there with a lot of groove and harmony that can make you stand up and take notice for the most part. I say the most part, because then there Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. They’ve been around forever and a day. And soul music has been their number one force to garner attention. When it doubt, there will always be Sharon Jones. She’s a true vocalist who leaves her blood, sweat, tears, and life on the stage and on the record for you to swallow up and enjoy. Songs about love, death, fear, hardships, and the like that make soul music incomparable – that’s what Sharon displays. Yes it sounds retro in comparison to today’s pop music. Real live instrumentation from The Dap Kings – horns, live drums, harmonies – you just don’t find that around anymore on your local iheart radio station. If you haven’t heard of this wonderful band, please look them up. They are well worth the time and energy. And until you can catch them live, give this cover of Midnight Rider a listen. It’s a keeper. Just like Sharon.

PS – Yes, this is the version heard in a Lincoln car ad. But come on, it’s still worth a listen. Soul sister Number One indeed.

I know, it’s long overdue. But here is the latest installment of my podcast. The last few months have been hard on me and I haven’t had a chance really to devote time to create a proper podcast – until now. But I haven’t abandoned my fellow music fanatics. So here is a mix of good things. Your ears will thank you for listening, as do I. As usual, you can click on the picture for a larger version. And here’s the setlist. Enjoy, share, and y’all come back now y’hear? I’ll be back next month with a new show.

Well fellow earbuds, we’ve reached the halfway mark of the year. It’s been a great year for music so far in my opinion. There has been plenty of music released that can fit any mood imaginable. It’s a bit overwhelming at times. As I listen to new selections, I start to listen to the construction of a song, not just the lyrics. Not that I don’t love lyrics because I do. But there are some artists out there that can create true music and melodies that stand out from the lyrics. It’s kind of like watching a heavily computer generated movie. It’s the special effects that get you not so much the acting. For me, the music behind the song is just as important as the lyrics. They go hand in hand like a doughnut and coffee are to most of us in the morning. So I thought I’d put together a list of albums I have thoroughly enjoyed so far this year. This is definitely going to make my end of the year list quite a challenge because there is SO much good stuff out there. And I don’t mean the pop stufffluff you hear on the radio. Trust me when I say these albums made the cut. And there is truly something for everyone here. If not, then … you must be an alien.

1. Young the Giant – Mind over Matter

2. GusGus – Mexico

3. Bright Light, Bright Light – Life is Easy

4. Pennywise – Yesterdays

5. Sleeper Agent – About Last Night

6. We are the In Crowd – Weird Kids

7. Ed Sheeran – X

8. Sam Smith – In the Lonely Hour

9. DJ Q-Bert – GalaXXXian

10. Horse Meat Disco – Horse Meat Disco Vol. 4

11. Tove Lo – Truth Serum EP

12. Shindoe – Illogical Directions

13. Vacationer – Relief

14. Kongos – Lunatic

These are just a few of my favorite things. Check them out when you can.